A Game of Life and Death
by Lazeralk
Summary: Crossover with Forbidden Game. A deadly threat forces Jereth and his best friend Julian to bring their respective loves to the Underground for protection. Trying to keep them safe and win their hearts is harder than it seems.
1. Chapter 1

A Game of Life and Death

By: Lazeralk

A Labyrinth/Forbidden Game crossover

Dedicated to Taharkah Alexandra

Standard disclaimers apply.

Warnings: This story is AU for the end of The Forbidden Game by L.J. Smith

Chapter 1: "I am Not Sulking."

Sarah Williams was officially pist. The truly ridiculous amount of homework being required by her teachers prior to final exams was enough to make her wish she were back in the Labyrinth. Wait, scratch that, nothing could make her wish to be back in that nightmare.

Her head pounded as she scanned the pages of her senior English textbook. English was easily her best subject, but if she had to do one more research paper she'd scream. Loudly too. She scratched a few things down about the themes illustrated in Macbeth in comparison to Beowulf and rubbed the bridge of her nose.

She was eighteen now, blossoming into womanhood with such flare that her father often joked that he would soon have to sit on the porch with a shot gun to ward off all the boys. Toby, whom she'd become ferociously protective of, was turning four in a few days. She was in charge of the party plans, as if she didn't have anything better to do.

Rolling her eyes at the thought, she decided she'd have a quiet dinner at home and a cake for him and then let the goblins throw a wild party for him after her dad and Karen had gone to bed.

Happy with the decision, she closed her English book and pulled her Trigonometry book closer, eyeing the cover with distaste. God, she hated math.

Jareth, mighty King of Goblins, Lord of the Labyrinth, prince of the hands of Dream and Crystal, was sulking in his room. Not brooding or pouting or even plotting, he was sulking, though he would have tossed anyone in the Bog of Eternal Stench for saying so, except for Sarah that is.

Ah Sarah, the very root of his demeanor. A stupid, mortal, beautiful, silly, willful, glorious, irritating girl that had gone and smashed his world to bits. The really tiny kind that stuck to the bottom of your shoes and wouldn't come off. Running a hand through his untamable blonde hair, he folded his hands over his stomach and refused to admit that he was miserable.

He fingered the silk coverlet on his massive bed, stared down at the shiny tops of his boots as they lay on the expensive material. He leaned back against the headboard and gazed up at his ceiling. He had every comfort imaginable, ever luxury available, he was amazingly powerful, utterly irresistible, what more could he want?

He tapped his toes together and pouted, yes, the Goblin King pouted. And very cutely too, I might add. He lifted one set of fingers loosely and a crystal appeared, he just wasn't in the mood for dramatics and that in itself was testament to just how terribly depressed he was. He gazed at the flawless crystal orb, and it was just a crystal, patiently awaiting his magical instructions.

He lifted it before his eyes and saw only the distorted image of his bedroom door. He wanted to see Sarah.

No! No he didn't, he was perfectly happy without her thank you very much, he didn't need any mortal girl to make him happy. He wasn't going to check on her. Nope, not going to do it, you couldn't make him even if you threatened him with the Bog.

He glared at the image that was forming in the crystal despite his feelings and his face froze.

There she was, his lovely Sarah laying on her stomach on the floor of her room, books and papers spread out everywhere, pencils sticking out at odd angels from her hair and sitting before her was a long piece of paper that had "Final Exam Study Guide" printed in bold letters on the top.

Damnit. He didn't _want_ to see her. He didn't _need_ to see her so why was his crystal showing him this? He focused on something else, anything else but the image never wavered. He jerked his head but couldn't seem to pry his eyes away from her.

"She's grown." He mused to himself aloud. She had indeed, her legs were far longer than he remembered, her hair pulled into a tight French braid that fell to one side and trailed across the carpet for a good foot and a half. He could only imagine how long it would be down.

It would be beautiful, a flowing curtain of chocolate silk that fell around her shoulders and made her skin shine with moonlight.

Jareth blanched, she's not that pretty! She's just some mortal. Mortals are ugly, mortals are ugly, Fae are beautiful, mortals are ugly, Fae are beautiful, Fae are ugly, mortals are beautiful. Wait, no that's wrong.

He sighed and watched as she threw down the pencil she was using and rubbed her temples, a look of pain crossed her face and he bolted upright. She must have a headache. He watched her and yearned for her to be better, he wanted to kiss away her pain and…sit down and shut up and not care about some silly little girl!

Well maybe not that little anymore, and ooh, the possibilities.

"Arg!" he yelled and threw the crystal at his door in a childish display of frustration. The crystal shattered and a dent appeared in the otherwise smooth wood. The magic of the castle gave him a little zap before repairing it, telling him in it's own way how utterly foolish he was being.

He glanced at his bedside table and saw that he somehow managed to conjure a glass a water and two tiny blue pills that he had no idea what to do with. He picked one up and read the tiny script that had been carved into the pill. "Aleve." Whatever that was, some sort of headache remedy. Great, now he was unconsciously summoning things for the little human brat who he absolutely did not care about in the least! The Fates were obviously playing a joke on him, that had to be it.

He banished the pills and water with a thought and settled back into his pillows to sulk some more as he'd been doing for the last…three years now? My, how the time does fly.

A knock interrupted his mental battle with himself about not caring for the silly human girl. He glared at the door, not that it did much, and hunkered down at ignore whoever was disturbing him and pout.

"Jareth! Jareth you open this door right now!" came the voice of his life long best friend. He'd known Julian since boyhood, and they'd sort of grown up together. Being the youngest of the Shadowmen made him some three hundred years older than his young Fae companion. The age difference was little enough that it didn't matter though and Jareth grew far more quickly than Julian anyway so it about evened out.

"Go away." He said quietly, knowing that Julian would hear him no matter how softly he spoke. It was one of those weird Shadowmen things that always irked him.

"No, I will not go away, open the door!" demanded the other man, proving that he had heard his friend and causing Jareth to scowl at the spot he guessed Julian's face would be on the other side.

"No." answered the sulking king, tapping his shoes together again.

He heard Julian sigh and then felt the first prickling of power. Julian appeared next to the bed as if by magic. Jareth scowled some more.

Julian brushed his own blond hair out of his true blue eyes and glared at his best friend. The genie, as Jareth called him because he knew it annoyed the other to no end, wore a white shirt with French cuffs and black jeans. Jareth frowned at the choice of clothes, much preferring his own leathers and silks.

"This had better not be about that girl again Jareth, I'm sick of this."

"And if it is?" replied the king haughtily.

"Will you get over her already?! Either forget about her or go get her, one or the other! No more sulking!"

"I am not sulking." Said Jareth as he tapped his toes together.

"Yes you are. So what will it be? Do I go and get a room ready or do I call up Jenny and see if she can find you a date? You might like Dee, she's a very spirited girl since you seem to like that type."

"Sarah hates me. She'll never come back willingly, and I can't bring her here unless she's wished here or something similar." He said sourly.

Julian sighed; sometimes he hated having such a temperamental best friend.

"You Fae are _so_ melodramatic." He quipped before sitting down on the bed and trying to figure out a way to fix this.

Sarah slammed her book closed and let out a relieved sigh.

"Yes. Finally finished." She whispered to herself as she stood and groaned as her back cracked loudly. She stretched some more before heading out her door and down the stairs for something to eat. She passed Karen on her way to the kitchen, stoically ignoring her.

When Sarah had unexpectedly taken to Toby's care her father and stepmother had been a little concerned but otherwise pleased. When she began talking to Toby about the Labyrinth all the time they were worried, and when they found out that she honestly believed in her story Karen had demanded that she be sent to a psychologist.

Sarah had been forced into three months worth of after school sessions with a shrink and diagnosed with delusional schizophrenia before she publicly declared her hatred for the older woman. She hadn't said another word about the Labyrinth after that and even cut her chats with Hoggle down to once every two weeks. She completely ignored her stepmother and even went so far as to call her 'the bitch who lives at my house' when questioned about her.

She opened the fridge and rummaged around until she found one of those pre-made sub sandwiches they sell at grocery stores. She cut it in half and threw it in the microwave for half a minute then settled down in front of the TV with her snack. She absently flipped through the channels as Toby pulled his small body up on the couch beside her. She ignored him until he poked her in the ribs.

"What's up squirt?" she asked pulling off a chunk of her sandwich and handing it to him. He took it and chewed on it for a while before settling down with his head on her lap. She put on a cartoon for him and relaxed.

"Well?"

"Well what?"

"Have you thought of a way to get Sarah to come here yet?" snapped Jareth.

Julian scowled at him.

"You could challenge her to a game." He suggested after a pause.

"Like you did with Jenny? One run through the Labyrinth and she hates me, what do you think even more games will do to my nonexistent relationship with her?" asked the Goblin King irritably.

"Well, I don't know! You have a better idea? Why don't you go there and ask her out on a date or something?" yelled an equally agitated Julian.

Jareth gave him a look that should have set things on fire.

"Ok, maybe not. Why don't you…I don't know, ask her to come here and…and help you do something." Said Julian grasping at straws.

"Help me do something? Like what?" asked Jareth skeptically.

"Something! Anything! I really don't care at this point. I've only had to court one mortal and I did that with a series of games. Humans are nothing like us Underground folk, I don't know what you should do." Admitted the Shadowman, running a hand through his bangs.

Jareth sat down on his bed with a heavy sigh. He looked down at his feet and tapped his toes together.

"You're sulking again. Stop it!" growled Julian.

Jareth pouted.

"I am not sulking."

End part 1


	2. Chapter 2

A Game of Life and Death

By: Lazeralk

A Labyrinth/Forbidden Game crossover

Dedicated to Taharkah Alexandra

Standard disclaimers apply.

Chapter 2: "Uruz"

Sarah was almost asleep when the five o'clock news came on and the anchor lady began a slightly hysterical rendition of a horror movie.

"Strange deaths have been reported worldwide, all four hundred twenty six of the people killed were done so in the same manner. There has been no connection between the victims and police believe an indiscriminate group of serial killers are on the rampage. Some of the deaths took place in the victim's own homes and citizens are advised to keep all doors and windows locked.

All the victims were decapitated and had a brand burned into their chest in the shape of an upside down "U". Experts says that this symbol is an ancient magical rune called Uruz that is said to allow it's user to 'pierce the veil between worlds', it may be a clue to the killer's motives."

Sarah watched with growing concern, a killer or more than one killer just murdering people for no reason all over the world and leaving magic- Wait. Magic? Could this be somehow related to the Underground? She'd ask Hoggle the next time she talked to him. Feeling uneasy she gently lifted the sleeping Toby off her lap and padded across the room to the back door. She pulled her keys out of her pocket and slid the deadbolt into place.

She sat back down on the couch and watched the rest of the report, gasping at the pictures of the victims. The bodies were horribly mauled, the flesh reduced to not but meat. The rune, shaped like a horseshoe with sharp points, stood out starkly from what little skin remained on the corpses.

Her father came down the stairs looking for her and frowned as he took a seat next to her. He watched in silence for a few moments before getting up and walking away, a few moments later she heard the locks sliding on the kitchen windows.

Jareth had just settled down to sulk some more when a goblin burst through the door panting and clutching a sealed scroll tied with a golden ribbon with black tips. The emblem of the High Council was stamped into the wax seal and Jareth's eyes widened before he snatched it out of his subject's hands. He popped the seal and read it through quickly, Julian coming up behind him to read over his shoulder.

"Shit." They said in unison.

Jareth reread the letter and then stood up suddenly, a crystal forming in his hand.

"Show me Sarah!" he barked.

The crystal obeyed and showed the girl of his dreams sitting on her couch with her little brother watching some strange box filled with moving pictures. He sighed with relief and then his face split into a wicked grin.

"You've thought of something." Stated Julian watching his friend's face closely.

"I can bring her here on the grounds that I'm protecting her. She is in danger. Far more than any of the others because she actually beat the Labyrinth and retained her memories of it. She and the boy must be brought here as quickly as possible." Said Jareth as he began to pace with barely contained energy. He kept one eye on the crystal and the other on Julian.

The Shadowman's eyes darkened and he suddenly vanished. He reappeared a moment later with a group of teenagers around him, a small blonde tucked securely in his arms. Jenny Thornton turned from where her nose was buried in Julian's shoulder and glanced at the Goblin King.

"Stay here. I'll be back shortly." He said sketching a bow to the newcomers before he threw the crystal at his feet and was gone in a shimmer of glitter.

"Julian, what's going on?" asked Jenny.

"Get your hands off my girlfriend." Said Tom quietly. The look he gave the mystical being just then should have killed him, but Julian only smiled.

"You and your friends and in very real danger Jenny. I'll explain in full when Lady Sarah arrives." He assured her, brushing his fingers through her hair.

"Lady Sarah?" asked Dee, her posture radiating battle readiness.

Audrey was completely absorbed in the room they were in, silently admiring the ritzy décor. Michael watched his girlfriend sullenly, wary of the new surroundings. Summer clutched to Zach, who was already checking the film in his camera.

"Yes, the gentleman who just vanished was my best friend, Jareth the King of Goblins. It is his duty to take children or young people who are wished away and give the person who did the wishing thirteen hours in which to complete the Labyrinth and reach the Castle Beyond the Goblin City."

"Labyrinth?" asked Dee, the dark skinned athletic girl was pacing the over the beautiful Oriental rug.

"Take a look outside." Answered Julian who had become much more friendly with Jenny's friends in an attempt to gain more of her favor. Tom had been the only one who openly resisted him, but that was to be expected.

"Outside? There aren't any windows." Said Dee, and just as she said the words a window appeared in the wall.

"Wow." Said Audrey.

"How did that happen?" asked Zach, walking to the window and bringing the still clinging Summer with him.

"Holy God Almighty." He said as he brought his camera up and began to snap pictures. Summer peeked out from behind his shoulder and 'eeped!' Dee, a scowl on her face, joined them and gasped loudly.

Julian looked at the wall and it suddenly became a balcony, the endless expanse of the mighty Labyrinth spreading out before them. The sky was sunset orange, the clouds blue as a robin's egg. The hedge maze seemed to gleam like emeralds, and the stone walls sparked.

Jenny pulled free of his arms and he let her go, watching as she walked across the room and touched the railing of the balcony, the wind blowing her hair from her face. Even Tom was moved to silence as he gazed at the maze with awe.

"Thirteen hours to get through all of that? Doesn't seem fair." Said Michael.

"It isn't fair." Said a new voice from behind them, a voice filled with despair.

"You say that so often. I wonder what you basis for comparison is."

Sarah reached forward and shut off the TV, glancing at the clock. It was time to put Toby to bed. She gently picked him up, resting his weight against her hip. He was really too big to be doing this sort of thing, but he seemed to love being held. She had just finished standing up when a flash of light caused her to jerk her head up in surprise.

A monster was pulling itself free of her wall, a bloody upside down U decorating the spot it was emerging from. She clutched Toby tighter as the panic began to build. It freed itself and took a step towards her. She screamed, turned her back and ran for the back door, belatedly remembering that she'd locked it.

"Sarah!" came the call of her father as he rushed down the stairs, Karen right behind him. He gasped in shock when he saw what was advancing on his children and grabbed a vase from the coffee table. He hurled it at the black beast that seemed to have the withered body of a man with no face, none what so ever. The skin was there, blank and unblemished, save that it was an oily tar black. It had no nose, no eyes, no mouth, just nothing.

The vase smashed into the back of its head and it turned towards them, it's hands elongating into a massive blade. It leapt that them and with one effortless strike severed the heads from her parent's shoulders. Sarah screamed again, long and loud not wanting to see what had just happened. Her eyes screwed shut but the tiny glimpse of the bloody bodies on her living room carpet was burned into her brain.

She just knew she and Toby were going to die, she just knew it. She could feel that evil thing moving closer to her, she could feel its shadow falling over her and she clutched the sleeping Toby even harder, it was a miracle he hadn't woken up.

She heard the whistle of the blade coming towards her and then…nothing. She opened her eyes and found herself in Jareth's arms. He gazed down at her and his face was a mask of rage, pure and unchecked. She didn't know which she was more afraid of, the monster that had killed her father and Karen or Jareth.

The next moment she was in the Castle Beyond the Goblin City, Toby still firmly clasped in her arms. Jareth didn't release her, but instead buried his nose in her hair and shook slightly.

The Labyrinth lay itself out before them in all its usual awe-inspiring glory and Sarah only glanced at it before beginning to shake herself.

"Thirteen hours to get through all of that? Doesn't seem fair." Said one of the three strange boys standing in Jareth's bedroom.

"It isn't fair." She said, the words coming out as a choked sob. It wasn't fair, her parents should be alive. She should be at home putting Toby to bed and getting ready for her finals.

Jareth shifted behind her, stepping away from her and to the side, placing Sarah on one side of the room with the rest of the mortals and he and Julian on the other.

"You say that so often. I wonder what your basis for comparison is." He answered softly, as was expected, his sad eyes on her quivering form.

Sarah glared at him; somehow this had to be all his fault. She didn't know how or why but it just had to be. She sniffed, then straightened up, lifted her chin and gazed into the eyes of a man she thought she'd never see again. He'd put her through hell, destroyed her fantasies and now her father and stepmother were dead, then he just shows up and whisks her away to his castle after three long years of nothing.

"What's going on Jareth?" She demanded, shifting Toby to her other hip as he was much heavier than he use to be. Jareth gestured gracefully to the bed with one elegant hand. She scowled but crossed the room and gently laid her baby brother down, making sure to tuck the covers around him. She kissed his forehead and then turned to regard the Goblin King.

"Jareth?"

"In a moment." He said waving at the balcony. The wall reappeared, even the window gone. Jenny and her friends found their noses pressed to stone, and quickly backed away to stand in a loose group, Jenny and Summer at the center.

Sarah didn't seem to even notice the other people in the room, so intent she was on her own inner turmoil and the man who held the answers to everything.

"No Jareth. Now. I just watched my father and stepmother die, and I was next. I want an explanation!" she roared, tears coursing freely down her cheeks.

Jareth's heart broke; he crossed the room and drew her into a careful hug, running his hands soothingly through her hair and down her back. He whispered comforting words and promises he couldn't keep.

"Jareth." Said Julian softly, hating to break their moment.

Sarah whirled on him, her eyes wide with surprise.

"Who are you?" she demanded.

"I'm Julian." He answered. He gazed at her quietly, his shockingly electric blue eyes regarding her with a knowledge and calm she only saw in the very old and sometimes alligators.

"He's my best friend, we grew up together. Julian this is Sarah Williams." Said Jareth, also conforming to the hush that seemed to have descended on them.

Jenny slipped out of her circle of friends and avoided Tom's grab for her as she made her way across the room to stand beside Julian. She placed a hand on his arm and he gazed down at her with both love and worry.

"Can you please explain everything now?" she asked of both mystical beings.

Julian gave his friend a look that said: 'You want to or should I?' Jareth opened his mouth, closed it and then took a deep breath. Sarah buried her nose in the soft fabric of the Goblin King's shirt and shuddered as she tried vainly to banish the horribly red pictures that formed in her mind and stuck there.

"I suppose I'll have to begin with the basics." Said Jareth as he conjured several couches chairs and two love seats. Julian sat Jenny down and then took a seat next to her, earning a growl from Tom. Jareth sat and then sprawled himself across the small couch, pulling Sarah to lie on top of him, her face still pressed to his chest.

He wrapped his arms around her sighed, gathering his thoughts.

"You see…" he said. "When a mortal is taken into the Underground…"

End part 2


	3. Chapter 3

A Game of Life and Death

By: Lazeralk

A Labyrinth/Forbidden Game crossover

Dedicated to Taharkah Alexandra

Standard disclaimers apply.

Chapter 3: "Stages of Death"

0o0o0

"You see," he said. "When a mortal is taken into the Underground, they become linked to it. It's just something that happens, no one knows why, and they are filled with magic. Our historians believe that we, meaning people like Julian and I, were once humans who stayed in the Underground and became so full of magic that we changed completely and forever.

I assume you have heard of the strange mass killings that have taken place in the Aboveground?"

He waited while everyone nodded.

"All of the victims have one thing in common: they were all in the Underground at one point, and thus are linked to the power of the Underground in some way."

"Wait." Said Audrey, her brows creased together as she tried to piece together all the information she was getting.

"What exactly _is_ the Underground?"

"The Underground, my dear, is everything that is magical. The Underground was created because people in the Aboveground believed in it. All the myths and stories and legends you've heard were very real at one point. Then people began to believe that if they stopped believing in us that we would go away. And we did, we went into the Underground where the magic and our own will supported our existence."

"So you're saying that people believed in you so you became real and then you believed in your self so you became real and when people stopped believing in you, you still believed in you so you couldn't die but you had to go away?" asked Audrey, her face drawn in concentration.

Jareth was silent for a moment.

"Yes. That about sums it up."

"Wait, I'm confused, what?" Said Michael.

"Never mind." Said Audrey.

"Anyway, I recently received a letter from the High Council of the Underground stating that the Shadowmen have ventured Aboveground and were killing everyone who had been touched by magic. That is why you were brought here, because we feared for you safety." Said Jareth, hugging the stiff Sarah tighter.

"Jareth?" she asked.

"Yes love?"

"Let me up."

He reluctantly released her and she stood, strode over to the bed and picked up her sleeping baby brother. She sat back down on the love seat, carefully avoiding touching Jareth as she rocked her brother slowly.

"How long are we stuck here?" she asked.

"Until the other Shadowmen cease their killing. They will hunt for you because you are mortal and because you have bested my Labyrinth and taken the magic it surrendered to you into the Aboveground."

"Wait, magic it surrendered?" asked Sarah as she forgot her pain in her confusion.

"Every game has a prize Sarah." He answered, twirling a crystal around his fingers.

Jenny grimaced and Julian smiled at the words he'd spoken to his own mortal pursuit.

"So, I have magic now?" she asked, suddenly not sure she should be holding Toby anymore. The child stirred for a moment before yawning loudly and blinking sleepily up at his sister.

"Hi Sarah." He said.

"Hi Toby. You remember Jareth right?" she asked softly.

"Yeah."

"Well, he brought us back to the Labyrinth so we're going to stay here for a while ok?" she told his as soothingly as she could.

"Why? You didn't wish me 'way 'gan did ya?" he asked yawning again.

"No, no nothing like that sweetling. We can't go home anymore, Dad and your mom…went away and they can't come back." She told him, hating the lie but knowing he wouldn't understand if she told him they were dead.

"Where did they go?" asked the child becoming more awake with each passing moment.

Jareth watched with worry as his Sarah gently told her brother that his parents had gone to a place where they would be happy and that he didn't need to worry about them anymore, that she would take good care of him. He could almost feel the pain she was in and it tore his heart up.

"To answer you previous question Sarah, you do have some magic, not much mind you but some. The Labyrinth will obey you because you defeated it, and you know that I am at you beck and call if you so wish it." He told her softly.

"Why couldn't you have gotten a guy like that?" asked Audrey to Jenny behind her hand. Jenny smiled and shook her head, glancing at Julian's frowning face.

"Thank you." Sarah was silent for a moment, her nose buried in Toby's baby fine blond hair.

"Its safe here?" she asked, her eyes on Jareth.

"You have my word."

She nodded, still holding her brother who was hugging her back, not sure why she was so uneasy.

"Then, I think I'd like to get some sleep now." She said looking around for the door out.

Jareth nodded, silently kicking himself for not realizing that she wouldn't want to stay in his room. He suddenly began to play host to his guests, turning crystals in his fingers and having rooms made up for each. He made sure to place Jenny's room next to Julian's and Tom's as far from them as possible. He also made sure Sarah had a room near his with a second smaller bed for Toby.

He set the crystals down and watched as the rolled to the feet of whoever they were supposed to guide.

"Right then, I suggest we all get some sleep, follow the crystals to your room and put them on the stand beside the bed, just tell the crystal if you need anything." He instructed.

The crystals began to roll and Jareth had to bite his tongue to keep from laughing at the sight of seven mortal teenagers all walking towards the door with their eyes glued to their feet.

0o0o0

Sarah couldn't sleep. She told herself this was normal behavior for someone who had just seen her parents brutally murdered. Funny how the thought didn't comfort her much. She sighed, watching as Toby snoozed lightly in his small bed. The silk covers made him look more like a royal prince than her baby brother, whose sheets at home had large pictures of transformer robots on them. She pulled her knees up to her chest, sinking into the silk and down comforter on her own elaborate bed and smirked ruefully as she remembered her psychology class.

If she remembered correctly, denial was the first step in the process of death and dying. She wasn't dying, of course, but the steps would help her sort out her feelings and mourn properly. She scoffed. People were so arrogant, thinking that they could actually tell someone what the proper way to grieve for the death of a loved one was.

Ok, the next step is anger. A look of startled bewilderment came over her face and she had just enough time to think: 'What in God's name am I doing?' before she broke down and cried. She bit her lip and buried her face in her pillow trying to keep the great wracking sobs that shook her body from becoming to loud. It wouldn't do for her to wake Toby; she had to be strong for him. There wasn't anyone else left to do it for her.

When the sun came up the next morning, Sarah realized that she'd fallen asleep without even remembering. She felt exhausted, utterly drained after her silent outpour. Her white pillow had a kind of stain on it, tear stains. She touched it and it was still damp.

She drew in a great shuddering breath and tried not to start crying all over again. Jareth would laugh at her. She was supposed to be strong willed and all that.

A knock came at her door and she called to whoever it was to come in. It was Jareth, go figure.

"Breakfast is ready, if you're hungry Sarah." He told her gently, not willing to risk upsetting her.

"I'm not hungry." She told him bleakly.

"You have to eat Sarah." He told her with a frown.

"No I don't." she said impassively.

"Yes you do, and you're going to. Don't defy me Sarah, I am still King here." He said, his frown deepening into a scowl.

Sarah froze, her whole body going ridged.

"Get out." She hissed. Oh the nerve of the man! How dare he do this to her! First her parents are murdered, then she's kidnapped and now he's ordering her around like some common servant!

"You forget that this is my castle Sarah, you can't make me do anything." He retorted hotly. Who did she think she was? Just because he was drop dead in love with her didn't mean he was going to grovel at her feet. They'd be equals or nothing, as much as it hurt to say, but that was his final word. He was king and his pride simply would not allow him to act otherwise.

"Leave me alone!" she growled, her face still hidden from him. To think that she'd almost been convinced that he was a good guy! He hadn't changed a bit in three years, he was still haughty and arrogant and the most insanely aggravating person she knew! Why couldn't he just _go away_!

"No Sarah, I'm not leaving until you eat. As your king I command it." Why was she resisting him so much? It was just food. Why were women always so difficult?

"My king? _My_ king? More like my kidnapper! And didn't you say that you were at my beck and call?" she demanded, rising her rage-filled eyes to meet his.

Jareth swallowed. Did he say that? Oops.

"I did." He admitted. Damnit! Why did he have to have such a big mouth?

"Then get lost!" she yelled, her voice waking Toby.

He growled at her but vanished in a shower of glitter.

"Sarah? What's going on?" asked Toby as he crawled out of bed.

Sarah groaned and rolled back over, not wanting to explain it.

"Go find Jareth and get some breakfast Toby, I'm gonna sleep some more." She told him, barely containing her anger. Stupid, stupid, stupid man!

"Um…ok?" said Toby as he edged out the door. He'd seen Sarah like this plenty of times before when she was angry with his Mom. Every day that she had to go see that doctor guy she came home like this and he did what ever he could to avoid her.

He slipped out of the room and wandered down the hall to find the guy he sister told him about all the time and get some food.

Sarah growled, punched her pillow and settled down. She lay there trying to go to sleep when she realized how good it felt to hit something. She sat back up and punched her pillow again. She guessed she was in the anger stage of the process. That thought didn't comfort her either, so she punched the pillow again.

0o0o0

End chapter 3


	4. Chapter 4

A Game of Life and Death

By: Lazeralk

A Labyrinth/Forbidden Game crossover

Dedicated to Taharkah Alexandra

Standard disclaimers apply.

Chapter 4 "Hail, and Well Met" 

0o0o0

"Ok, denial, anger, bargaining and then acceptance. Why can't I get out of the anger stage then?"

Sarah's mirror didn't answer. It had been unresponsive thus far and Sarah was a little disappointed. This was the Labyrinth wasn't it? Shouldn't it have taking mirrors?

"Mirror mirror on the wall, why won't you talk to me at all?" she tried, scowling at it.

"Well for starters, it's not a wall mirror." Said a voice from the door. The mirror was indeed attached to her dresser, not the wall.

"Who are you?" demanded Sarah as she turned, her hand coming up automatically to block her knee length hair from hitting her in the face.

"I'm Jenny."

"Sarah."

The two girls looked at each other for a long time before sighing and sitting on the bed together.

"He makes me so mad!" said Sarah, growling at her hands.

"I know, believe me, I know." Agreed Jenny.

"And he just-!"

"I know, doesn't he?"

"Yeah, and he's so-!"

"Mine too! I don't know where they get it!"

"I know, it's just so-!"

"Frustrating!"

"You wanna strangle him!"

"I get that feeling all the time."

"Why does he have to be so cute?"

"Don't you hate that?"

"If he wasn't as hot as he is…"

"I know, it's almost not worth it."

"Almost."

Sarah brushed her hair back from her face, smiling brightly at the girl beside her.

"You know Jenny, I think this is the start of a wonderful friendship."

"Me too Sarah, me too."

0o0o0

"Oh no, what is it this time?" demanded Julian, glaring down at his best friend. Jareth tapped his toes together.

"She yelled at me." He replied in a very small voice.

Julian groaned as he flung himself down in an armchair and covered his eyes with his hands.

"My god man, you are pathetic!"

"She's mad at me."

"Then go make it up to her!" growled Julian, this voice tight.

Jareth didn't answer, just summoned a crystal to watch his ladylove.

"Look at this." Said Jareth as he perked up, watching the two girls talk in Sarah's room. Julian watched over his shoulder, the two of them sharing looks every now and then.

"What does that mean?" asked Julian.

"I don't know, they aren't speaking coherently. At least they think we're cute." Answered Jareth.

Julian nodded to himself, not sure if he liked the idea of Sarah and Jenny being friends.

0o0o0

Sarah sighed as Jenny brushed out her long hair and listened to the conversation going on around her. All of the new people had gathered in Sarah's room and were talking about their uncertain future.

"Well, it looks like we're stuck here, so we might as well try to get to know each other." Said Dee. Sarah had immediately liked Dee, sensing a sort of kindred spirit in her. Both were strong willed and not afraid to fight for what they wanted.

Julian, who'd brought Toby back with him after the boy had finished his breakfast, was studying Sarah intently.

"So, you're the girl who beat the Labyrinth huh?" he asked, bringing everyone's attention to her.

"Yes, I am. I ran it for Toby." She answered, holding her baby brother close to her. Toby squirmed, but let her hold him.

"He's really cute." Said Audrey.

"How old are you Toby?"

"I'm almost four." He answered, holding up four fingers for Audrey to see.

"That's right Toby, you'll be four this Saturday." Said Sarah as she bent down to kiss the top of his head.

"Wow, looks like we have a party to plan then huh?" said Dee as she grinned at the little boy.

"Yeah! You can all come! Sarah's gonna let the goblins have a party for me just like last year right?" he said, looking over his shoulder at his big sister.

"Yep, we'll invite Hoggle, and Ludo and Sir Didymus and well, everyone from the Labyrinth. It will be fun."

"Yay!" cried Toby in delight and then turned around fully to hug her. She hugged him tightly, all her worries and fears evaporating like mist in the sun as she held her only remaining family close.

"Can you play with me now Sarah? I'll even be the cop this time. Really, you can be the robber if you want to." He said, hoping to temp her with his generous offer.

"Can we play too Toby?" Asked Jenny. Audrey and Summer added their own pleas to play also. Michael and Zack looked at each other and rolled their eyes.

"Well, ok." The child said as he scrambled down to the floor, backwards, over his sister's knees. The girls got up and made their way into the sprawling halls of the castle. Toby turned around and looked up at them, his expression very serious for a four year old.

"Now I'm gonna turn around and count to five. That's your head start, since you're the robbers. You guys better run, cuz I'm the cop and I'm gonna get you." He said.

"What's the prize?" Asked Julian, as he looked at the child from his position, leaning against the doorframe of the room they'd just left.

"I dunno." Said Toby and left it at that.

Julian frowned and was about to argue that their had to be a prize, or else what was the point in playing when Toby began to count.

"One!" he said and the girls scrambled, running off in different directions. Julian stood abruptly and was about to run also when a thought struck him.

"Wait, how do you win?" he asked.

"You're a robber, so you just don't get caught." Said Toby, as if Julian was stupid for even asking such an obvious question.

"Two!"

Julian frowned deeply and then ventured off in search of Jenny, hoping she could explain the purpose in this particular game.

"Three!"

Sarah opened door after door in search of the one room she knew would be perfect for this game.

"Sarah? What are you doing?" said a voice from behind her. Jareth was watching her with amusement as she flung open doors, stuck her head in and then slammed them shut again.

"I'm looking for the Escher room." She answered, throwing another door open.

"Well, why didn't you just say so? The castle likes you, it would have brought the room to you." Said Jareth.

"Really?"

"Four!"

"I want to be at the Escher room." She told the next door in the hall. She flung it open, and the twisting upside-down staircases greeted her.

"Yes!" She exclaimed and hurried in, bouncing from staircase to staircase.

Jareth followed her in, confusion evident on his face. She was practically glowing with mischievous joy.

"Five! Here I come!"

"Sarah, what's going on?" he asked.

She looked at him over her shoulder as she made it to one of the suitcases on the far side of the room. Funny, the door looked like it was upside-down from where she was standing.

"We're playing cops and robbers with Toby. He's the cop this time, so he has to catch us."

"Oh." Said Jareth, clearly still confused.

0o0o0

"Jenny, why are we playing this game? Toby doesn't need to learn how to hunt, and there isn't a prize, and there isn't any clear way to win either." Said Julian as he walked beside her.

"We're playing because it's fun for Toby and because it helps Sarah not think about her parents. It's just for fun. And we're supposed to let Toby win."

"We are? But why?" asked Julian, alarmed at the very idea of loosing on purpose.

"Because he's just a little kid and that's what you're supposed to do." She answered.

Julian frowned deeply, his mind carefully weighing the pros and cons of going along with Jenny's suggestion. Finally, he reached a decision and nodded once, quite sharply, and then let out a long breath.

"If that is the way it is done, then so be it." He said, feeling very proud of himself for making such a sacrifice. After all, it wasn't everyday that a Shadowman, a natural winner, agreed to loose a game. They walked in silence for a few minutes before he ventured his next question.

"Um, Jenny? How is it exactly, that one looses such a game on purpose?"

0o0o0

End chapter 4


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